Trump of Arsikland back after a ‘smoll leave of absent’
- Purnima: You disappeared from the political “stage” almost four years ago following defeats at the presidential and parliamentary elections but returned less than two months ago as the Prime Minister. Tell us what happened during that interim? What were you doing these last few years? How have you been preparing for a comeback? Why are you making a comeback now?
New faces, old characters: Nitharama Sufferring with Puss
Pusswedilla: I am not making a comeback. Becose to make a comeback, one has to go, I never went. I just temporarily took a smoll leave of absent. Like when you are in the office, you leave your desk to go to the toilet, smoll break. I took a smoll break and now I am back. Why is everyone making such a big deal of it?
- Purnima: There are allegations that your alliance with President Trymeepala was strategic in order to protect your family from any investigations and legal action. Are you and your family prepared to face any such investigations pertaining to incidents that took place during your regime? There are a lot of allegations about your family members committing various misdeeds in your time as President of Arsikland. Are you trying to get back into power to save them?
Pusswedilla: Anyone can alligate! That is what this Good Guvvernance has been doing all this time. Only alligating. I can alligate that YOU caused the Bhopal gas leak. From the start of my political career there have been alligators. In fact I have probably had more alligators than that Crocodile Dundee fellow! Accusing can be done by anyone to anyone for anything. The impotent thing is to prove it in a court of law and you must have evidence to prove that your accusation is right. I would olso like to remind everyone that “everybody knows he did it” is NOT regarded as good evidence by a court of law.
Who in their right mind would like to see any of their family in trouble? No one likes that. Now you are driving on the road and you see your sister talking to a policemans. Are you going to just atha wanawana drive past? Naa ney? You are going to stop and ask what is the problem and try to shape it up ney?
- Purnima: Following the 2015 Presidential Election you famously stated that you would happily serve the country as an MP. Later that year you contested for the seat of Prime Minister which you lost to Wickrama Nikamsinghe. Less than three months ago you were in that position ousting Wickrama Nikamsinghe. What is next in your political career?
The new Puss takes centrestage. Pix by Anush de Costa
Pusswedilla: Whenever I lose an election I olways remind myself that political power is like electrical power in your home.
In your home, sometimes if there is a technical problem or you have not paid the bill, the electricity board cuts the power ne? Then you have no power and you are stumbling in the dark and the heat and no fans or A/C olso it is very difficult. But, after a while the power comes back ne?
Political power is just like elctrical power. It olways comes back. When it is not there it is very difficult and we stumble a little but just like electrical power, political power olways comes back!
- Purnima: Following your removal as Premier, do you have any plans for retiring from politics?
Pusswedilla: I was NOT removed from the Premier post. I left it on my own free will. I have been in that chair before and I will be in it again.
- Purnima: What about the big chair?
Pusswedilla: It is a nice chair but not like in my time. Now, the Arsikland lokuputuwa is not as desirable as it was before. It is like now a semi-option car.
When you buy a car you can get full option ne? Earlier theArsikland Loku Putuwa was full-option, it had every option that was available. Now, it is not a full option anymore.
- Purnima: The desire for a national government has been looming over the political horizon for a while now. Do you think Arsikland is ready for a national government? If not, why?
Pusswedilla: After promising only 30 in the cabinet now the Good Guvvernance people want to have more! After scolding me for having more than 100 ministers now they want find smoll fine print in the constitution and increase the number of ministers. Everybody wants to be a minister! Arsikland does not need a national government; it needs a stable functioning democracy. For that we need two things: a government and a proper opposition! Taking a few small parties and colling it a national government is just a joke if you ask me and I know a lot about those little gundus. Like you have a Mango tree which has only 30 gediyas and your neigbour has a mango tree with 30 gediyas. Now just because you are greedy for the neighbours 30 amba gediyas you are getting the neighbour to come into your house? Pissuwada ney?
StageLight&Magic presents Arsikland! The Musical written and directed by Feroze Kamardeen from March 29 to April 2 at the Lionel Wendt theatre. Tickets will be available from March 14 at the Lionel Wendt.